Mar Vista gets a brand new kitchen

Comparing the old kitchen at the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub with its new one is like comparing an old clunker with an Italian sports car, says restaurant General Manager Anthony Cucci.

“We’ve got a Ferrari for a kitchen right now,” a proud Cucci said. “Night and day.”

The Longbeach Village landmark’s old kitchen, which saw few upgrades since the building was erected in the 1920s, was cramped and prone to flooding.

“It was an old place. It was a classic dive,” said Cucci, who has worked at Mar Vista for 13 years. “We’ve come a long way.”

The new kitchen, which has about 30% more space and new equipment, has been raised about half a foot to better keep water out, Cucci said.

Along with the renovations, which were completed by Whitehead Construction, Mar Vista has also welcomed another new addition: the expertise of head chef Rich Demarse, who joined the Mar Vista crew about two months ago.

Coming off a stint at The Screen Door, a restaurant on St. James Island near Charleston, S.C., Demarse said he’s excited to whip up some homegrown offerings.

“I’m really into Florida grown and raised local seafood,” Demarse said. “The closer it is to home, the fresher it is.”

Demarse is eager to begin using the kitchen’s new cold-food area, which includes a custom-built oyster-cleaning station. The chef hopes to open a raw bar at Mar Vista within the next few weeks.

After beginning renovations on the kitchen in August and cooking out of trailers since then, Mar Vista opened its kitchen last Friday, just in time for the crowds.

“The season is here,” Cucci smiled. “It’s just starting.”